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The BBC has asked a federal judge to force President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit after his lawyers canceled the scheduled session. The cancellation occurred just days before the planned date, citing national importance.
The BBC is asking a federal judge in Florida to compel President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster. The request follows the cancellation of a deposition session that had been scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16, 2026.
According to a court filing made on Tuesday, Trump’s attorneys informed the BBC’s legal team on Sept. 28 that the president was unavailable for the Oct. 16 deposition. In a statement cited by the BBC, Trump’s lawyers said, "The President is no longer available for his deposition on October 16 due to other matters of national importance."
The BBC’s lawyers stated that Trump’s team had agreed to the Oct. 16 date in July, subject to an agreement to keep the location and other details confidential for security reasons. While Trump’s lawyers initially indicated they would follow up quickly with a replacement date, they ultimately proposed rescheduling the deposition for the second or third week of January. This timeline falls well after the deadline to complete the discovery portion of the case.
BBC lawyer Charles Tobin wrote in the motion that the network has been unable to depose the plaintiff despite months of effort. "Nearly eight months into discovery, after seven depositions of BBC witnesses, and with only two months of discovery remaining, the BBC still has not been able to depose, and does not even have a schedule to depose, the most central figure in this case: Plaintiff himself," Tobin wrote. He added, "There is hardly a more crucial and relevant piece of discovery in a defamation lawsuit than the deposition of the Plaintiff."
The BBC is asking the court to require Trump’s team to confirm a date, notify the BBC of a secure location, and sit for the deposition. "Plaintiff chose to file this lawsuit and, in doing so, he accepted the obligations of civil litigation," the BBC’s motion reads. "The BBC therefore asks the Court to compel Plaintiff to confirm a date for his deposition, notify the BBC of a secure location where such deposition is possible and any other logistics required to ensure Plaintiff’s safety, and sit for the deposition, as the core rules of discovery require."
Magistrate judge Enjoliqué Aytch Lett has scheduled a discovery hearing for Oct. 22, which is expected to address the deposition issue.
Trump filed the lawsuit against the BBC in December 2025. The suit accuses the network of violating Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act regarding the editing of a Panorama documentary. The documentary featured edited clips of comments Trump made during a rally on Jan. 6, 2021. The BBC has apologized for the error.
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team issued a statement regarding the case, saying, "The formerly respected and now disgraced BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring his speech in a brazen attempt to interfere in the 2024 Presidential Election." The spokesperson added, "The BBC has a long pattern of deceiving its audience in coverage of President Trump, all in service of its own leftist political agenda. President Trump’s powerhouse lawsuit is holding the BBC accountable for its defamation and reckless election interference just as he has held other fake news mainstream media responsible for their wrongdoing."
The dispute highlights the procedural challenges in high-profile defamation cases involving sitting presidents. The BBC’s motion underscores the importance of deposing the plaintiff in defamation suits, while the proposed January rescheduling conflicts with the current discovery deadlines. The outcome of the Oct. 22 hearing will determine whether the court enforces the standard rules of civil litigation or accommodates the president’s schedule.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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